Lionel Messi and his wife Antonela Roccuzzo made a grand arrival on Thursday at the Hotel de la Reconquista in Oviedo, Spain, where they were welcomed with the sounds of Asturian bagpipes in the traditional greeting ritual for the distinguished honorees of the Princess of Asturias Awards.
The Argentine star landed at Asturias Airport aboard a private plane, escorted by the Civil Guard, and arrived at the iconic establishment, an 18th-century hospice converted into a five-star hotel.
Both dressed in black, Leo and Antonela posed for the official photograph while the bagpipers played traditional Asturian music, in a scene that is repeated every year with the event's main participants.
After the official images, Messi approached the crowd gathered outside the hotel to sign autographs and greet his fans, igniting euphoria among those who had been waiting for hours.
The anticipation had started early in the morning: about fifty fans made their way to the airport with the hope of seeing him, but the heavy security measures prevented any contact.
Messi will receive the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports 2026 this Friday from Princess Leonor at the Campoamor Theatre, in a ceremony presided over by Kings Felipe VI and Letizia.
The award, granted last June among 27 nominations from 12 nationalities, makes him the first footballer to receive this recognition individually, which previously went to complete teams and to the duo Casillas-Xavi in 2012.
The recognition comes at a time of deep emotional weight for the Argentine, who announced his retirement from the national team on August 31, weeks after the death of his father Jorge Messi and following Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
His schedule in Oviedo continues this afternoon with a meeting with the educational community at the Palacio de los Deportes, as part of the event The Game of 10. Tickets for this event sold out in just 13 minutes, reaching a peak of 16,200 people connected simultaneously to the registration platform.
Upon learning of the award, Messi expressed his excitement with words that summarize the significance of the honor: "Spain and Catalonia are part of my life: I grew up there as a footballer, lived there for many years, and my children were born there. I have always felt a lot of affection from the people, and that is why this award holds a very special value for me."
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